The simple answer is your nails are dry causing peeling and brittle nails. Shellac cannot damage or weaken your nails once applied and removed correctly.
PICKING OFF YOUR CND™ SHELLAC™ – This is one of the biggest causes of natural nail damage. CND™ Shellac™ bonds to the natural nail which means that if you pick it off, it will take a thin layer of your natural nail too. This will make your natural nails much weaker and thinner, causing them to break.
The easiest way to repair damaged nails is to apply an oil formulated with essential vitamins and nourishing ingredients. Cuticle oils help increase your nails' circulation, stimulate nail growth, and protect your nail and cuticle against trauma.
1/ Always use a cuticle oil
Cuticle oil helps to hydrate both the skin and nails, preventing dryness and in turn warding off splitting, chipping and peeling. 'Massaging an oil into the cuticles also helps to stimulate the area which encourages nail growth and strength.
Now that the gel-dip-acrylic is off, the key is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. "Prolonged use of gel manis and acrylics dehydrates your nails, making them dry, brittle, and fragile," says manicurist Jin Soon Choi, founder of JINsoon nail polish and salons. Cuticle oil is your BFF for imparting deep hydration.
Low iron levels can cause your nails to become brittle. You may also have fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, cracks in the sides of your mouth, or frequent infections. If blood work shows low iron, your doctor may suggest iron supplements.
Everything from aging to poor nutrition can make your nails dry, thin, and easy to break. There are also some treatments and medical conditions that can make them brittle. But you don't have to put up with the problem. The right care can make all the difference in keeping your nails healthy and strong.
Because shellac nails use traditional nail polish, in addition to a gel layer, they're a little more prone to chipping than methods like the gel application, which means you may need touch-ups more than with other types of nails.
They are worried about the possible harmful effects of UV light exposure." Additionally, while Shellac appears to help avoid the damage to the nails caused by acrylics, SNS goes a step further, according to Vo. “SNS is positively good for nail health.
Take a break between shellac manicures. It's as simple as that. “We always recommend our clients give their nails a break from shellac, especially if they have had multiple shellac manicures in a row,” Dunne says. “It gives your nails a chance to re-strengthen.”
This is rule number one for shellac nails – DO NOT peel them off. Peeling off the shellac nails yourself can damage your natural nails by peeling off the stronger layers of your nails leaving the weaker nails exposed.
Unlike other artificial nails, you cannot use Shellac to strengthen or lengthen your nails. Shellac is only sold to licensed professionals and requires a special removal process. You cannot apply Shellac, repair a break or even remove it at home.
Gel manicures benefit those with weaker nails and lasts just that little bit longer than Shellac. However, the removal process is quite lengthy. Shellac is a thinner polish, so if you want to give your nails more space to “breathe' and have sturdy natural nail beds, this one's for you.
Shellac was the first hybrid polish, produced by CND, and you can expect manicures to last about two weeks. Some may find that the chip-free finish lasts longer than this, but it's recommended that you get them removed after 14 days as by this time your own nail will have started to grow out.
Shellac nails are suuuper long-lasting, and you can probably get anywhere from 10 to 14 days out of 'em. You don't want to keep them on longer than two weeks though—by this time, your real nail will have started to grow out, and it's not the cutest look.
Shellac manicure starts peeling within a day or 2:
Your tech may have not dehydrated your nail bed well enough. You don't always need to rough up the nail but the natural shine should be buffed down first (unless you are using Shellac brand gel polish they require no buffing). The polish might be older.
Another reason the SNS procedure tends to weaken nails is the removal process. This is an inflexible product, so any breaks or lifting usually takes your own nail with it! People prone to picking or removing can also peel away layers of their own nails with the product.
But we've found Shellac to be a little less damaging to our nails long-term than SNS nails. Another difference is that Shellac needs to be cured, or dried, under a UV or LED lamp, whereas SNS is dry instantly. Both treatments take about the same amount of total time in-salon though.
The Down-Low on SNS
Unlike your typical lacquer or gel polish, SNS is applied as a powder in multiple coats that hardens onto the nail. Where Gel nails rely on a UV lamp to set the polish in place, SNS eliminates the need for unnecessary exposure, causing people to think of it as a healthier alternative.
It will damage your nail if you leave it on too long as you have. Gel polish continues curing slightly when on the nail so you should never have it on for more than 3 weeks because it will start to get much harder and damage the nail. It will also be much more difficult to remove.
Gel manicures definitely last longer, and if you like that plush, ultra-glossy finish, it's the way to go. However, the removal process for Shellac is much gentler on the nails, which makes switching up your colors easier to do. Either way, you will have a manicure that lasts longer than basic polish.
Shellac is much less damaging to nails than traditional gels (or acrylics), and if your goal isn't to make your nails longer, then they're a great choice. Shellac looks like a thick glossy gel polish, and the main benefit is that it reduces chipping.
Spoon nails (koilonychia) are soft nails that look scooped out. The depression usually is large enough to hold a drop of liquid. Often, spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency anemia or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.